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READ THE STORY

On December 1, 2006, six women from diverse backgrounds came together to take a very unique trip: a 17-day intensive pilgrimage to volunteer in rural South Africa. Prior to the journey, these six women did not know each other. However they all shared one thing in common: they had all suffered the death of a child. With grief in their hearts and the willingness to make a difference, this intrepid group of women traveled half way around the world to live with local African families and to work with African organizations dedicated to improving the lives of children. “Motherland” is a documentary film that reveals what happened, and the lives that were forever changed, on this journey of hope and healing.

The film is a character-driven story, following each of the six women through their entire journey from America to South Africa. We meet each woman at home in America, introducing her life and her family to the audience:

First, there is Debbi. She works as a paramedic on an ambulance in a rural Northern California town, responding to 911 calls. Nothing could have prepared her for the night her son Garrett was hit by a drunk driver on the side of the highway while waiting for his car to be towed. Depressed and isolated, convinced that no one will ever understand her, Debbi is eager for this trip to Africa and the “relief” of being with other women who have had similar experiences.

Mary Helena, an African-American actress and a storyteller from urban Wisconsin, suffered a debilitating stroke less than one year after her son Aaron was killed in a triple-homicide. Only two months before the trip to Africa her mother, who was her closest friend, passed away as well. Though she is wracked with grief and frustrated by her physical disabilities, Mary Helena cannot be swayed from taking this once-in-a-lifetime trip “home” to “The Motherland."

Anne, the wife of an advertising executive in San Francisco, works as a volunteer for a local children’s charity. She was a proud, full-time mom to her beautiful daughter, Grace, until, at age 15, Grace died of suicide on New Years Eve. Outgoing and inquisitive, Anne has learned the hard way the importance of living every moment like it’s your last. This trip to Africa is the first thing since Grace’s death that she has decided to do for herself.

Kathy, a suburban mom from Santa Rosa, California, works in the hospital emergency room and her husband is a local police officer. It was her husband’s colleague who came to the door to tell her that her son Mike had been killed in a motorcycle accident less than 14 months ago. As the trip begins she is emotional and scared, barely able to speak without crying. However she is determined to push through her fears in honor of her son.

Barbara, a nursing student from the small town of Dixon, California, is struggling with her impending divorce. Her marriage began to unravel after her son Jason died in a head-on collision, and her husband was completely unable to handle his grieving wife. Although she is outgoing and confident on the exterior, she knows she needs healing and this trip has the potential to change who she is as a woman… again.

And finally there is Lauren, a 22-year old student from Oakland, California, and the youngest member of the group. Her older brother, Teveston, was killed by angry gang members who retaliated when he refused to join their gang. Youthful and adventurous, Lauren decides to take a risk and leave all of the comforts of home behind in honor of her mother, Cheryl, who decides at the last minute she isn’t emotionally ready to take the trip.

For these six women, who have each endured one of life’s greatest tragedies, the chance to travel to South Africa together as volunteers comes as a welcome opportunity. Although the anticipation of a long, emotional journey with a group of strangers provokes anxiety, the women all share the desire to make sense of their tragedies, and to move forward with their lives. Once in Africa, the women work with local children, help teach in over-crowded day care centers, lead activities with abused and at-risk teens, and help care for physically-challenged youth. The work is meaningful and rewarding, and a welcome reprieve from the depression, isolation and stagnation of life at home.

By illuminating the overwhelming pain and isolation caused by the loss of a loved one, “Motherland” opens up an honest and intimate dialogue about the complexity of grief. Through the different voices and experiences of this diverse group of women, we are reminded that there is no instruction manual for dealing with grief, and that there is no “right way” to grieve. The film explores the differences between the American women’s experience of suffering and that of the African women they meet along their journey, and in doing so, it challenges our culture’s inadequacy for dealing with death and loss. Through the relationships and friendships that form between this unlikely group of travelers, we are reminded of the resilience and triumph of the human spirit. The film ultimately celebrates these mothers’ ability to survive, to heal, and to live again.

In addition, ”Motherland” examines the healing potential of volunteering and being of service to others. It sheds light on current issues affecting women and children in Africa, and the rest of the world. It addresses the complexities of poverty and race relations, both in Africa and America, as well as the universal experience of human grief and suffering within a global context. The larger vision of the filmmaker is to offer an opportunity for healing, growth and hope, not only to the women and children of the film, but to the entire global community.

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FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Q: WHERE DID YOU GET THE INSPIRATION FOR THE FILM?

Jennifer Steinman, Director: The idea for the film came from two sources of inspiration. First, I was deeply affected when my dear friend Barbara, who is one of the women in the film, lost her son Jason in a car accident several years ago. I watched her through her many stages of grief, as she had to bear the unimaginable pain of every parent’s worst nightmare. I knew there had to be other mothers out there suffering from similar experiences, and I wanted to find a way to bring them together.

Then, in the summer of 2006, I was reading a book by Stephen Lewis, the UN Secretary General’s special envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa, called “Race against Time.” In his book, he details the devastation occurring throughout Africa today because of the AIDS epidemic and extreme poverty. 

“No one is untouched,” Lewis states. “Everyone has a heartbreaking story to tell. Virtually every country in East and southern Africa is a nation of mourners.” 

I was so deeply moved by the notion of “a nation of mourners,” that I was motivated to want to do something—anything-- to help the world heal. The result is this film project. It is inspired by my desire to address the complexities of the universal experience of grief, and to contribute some healing to our planet at a time when the world needs it most.

Q: WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FILM?

JS: MOTHERLAND has an immediate, specific audience: the enormous numbers of parents who have lost children, and anyone dealing with the grief and loss of a loved one.  Sadly, we live in a time when war, poverty, and disease are escalating worldwide problems, and the numbers of parents losing children-- and children losing parents-- is growing every day.   For each child who passes, there are parents, a family and a community that must deal with the grief and pain.   Our hope is that this film will touch all of these people, and can open up an honest conversation about grief so that people are better able to manage it when faced with the loss of a loved one.

Our immediate plan is to enter Motherland in film festivals, with the goal of securing distribution for the film, both in the US and abroad.  In addition, we would like to see the film reach the educational market, to be used as a tool-- in grief groups, counseling sessions, conferences, educational institutions, etc— to help people better understand the grieving process.

Q: HOW CAN I CONTRIBUTE?

JS: Our fundraising efforts have been phenomenal (we raised over $200,000!), and we are deeply touched by the generosity of so many people who have contributed to making this film become a reality.  Thank you to all of our donors for your support-- we couldn't have done it without you!  

We are still accepting donations (100% tax deductible) and inquiries from investors in order to fund the deferred production costs for the film and our on-going marketing and outreach efforts.  If you would like to contribute, please contact:
DONATIONS:  anne@smushmedia.com
POTENTIAL INVESTORS:  jennifer@smushmedia.com

In addition to financial contributions, we are looking for PARTNERS to help get Motherland out to the world.  If you know of a person, a company, a foundation, a website, a TV show, a newsletter, a magazine-- or ANYONE-- who might be interested in our project, please help us SPREAD THE WORD!   We want as many people as possible to know about this film, and when it comes to building excitement there is no greater force than friends sharing with friends.  

Also,  any professional skills or expertise you can offer is always a great support. We have already had many generous people offer their services, and we have several needed areas, including PR, media relations, graphic design and marketing… just to name a few! Please contact us if you would like to volunteer your services and expertise to support this worthwhile project.

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CREW

JENNIFER STEINMAN
DIRECTOR/PRODUCER/EDITOR
Jennifer Steinman, Co-Founder of the film production company, Smush Media, has over 14 years of experience in television and filmmaking. She has established herself professionally as a creative storyteller, with a keen sense of pace and timing and the ability to tap into the heart and emotion of a story.

Jennifer began her career as a staff Editor at CBS, both in New York and San Francisco. Her work has aired nationally on PBS, The Discovery Channel, National Geographic Channel, Showtime’s Sundance Channel, The Food Network, and many other television networks. Her corporate clients include Visa, Symantec and The Gap. Her films have been accepted into many major film festivals including San Francisco International, Rotterdam, and Sundance (LIFE, LIBERTY & THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS, 2001, and STRANGE CULTURE, 2006). She has been nominated for an Emmy Award for Outstanding Achievement in Editing, and she won a Telly award for “Best Theatrical Trailer, Editing,” for CAR STORIES, 2006.

MOTHERLAND is Jennifer's directorial debut.

MIRA CHANG
CINEMATOGRAPHY
For the past 10 years, Mira Chang has been directing, producing, and directing photography of non-fiction content for television and film. Her work on theatrically released documentaries (BOYS OF BARAKA, 2005, LEFT OF THE DIAL, 2005) has won numerous awards, and her 2006 film JESUS CAMP (Co-Director of Photography) was a 2007 Academy Award nominee in the Best Documentary category.

Her cinematography is regularly seen on ABC, National Geographic, Bravo, A&E, TLC, VH1, MTV, PBS, and most recently the Sundance Channel (HUMAN BEHAVIOR EXPERIMENTS 2006, THE HILL (SERIES, 2006), and Bravo (TABLOID WARS, SERIES 2006).

Upcoming projects scheduled for release is a feature length documentary SOLD, exposing human trafficking in India, Pakistan and Togo (Director of Photography), and a Diane Sawyer hour for ABC News on the issue of prostitution in the United States. (PRIMETIME: BROTHELS)

KAREN LANDSBERG
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Karen Landsberg is our South African “find” of the century! Over the last 9 years, she has become one of the most sought after camera people in South Africa (and one of the only women), working in Television, Documentary Film, and Live Events.

Her work is regularly seen on BBC, SABC, and the South African “Hope Channel.” Recent Documentaries include the cross-cultural film I AM WOMAN (2005), and MAMA AFRIKA (2005), a study of pregnancy and childbirth in South Africa.

She has documented the live events of many mega-superstars, including Billy Joel, Avril Lavigne, The Black Eyed Peas, and REM. In 2003, she worked as a camera woman on the Mandela 46664 Aids Concert, which was Broadcast World-wide on live TV.

ANNE MAGILL
CO-PRODUCER/DIRECTOR OF DEVELOPMENT
Anne Magill has over 17 years of experience fundraising for nonprofit organizations. She has most recently developed a fundraising program at Edgewood Center for Children and Families to support the Adolescent Well-Being program that she and her husband Jim founded in memory of their daughter Grace, who died of suicide in January 2005.

Previously she served Edgewood Center for Children and Families in a variety of other roles including Chairman of the board, Chair of the board’s development committee and underwriting Chair for the agency’s annual fundraising event. She has raised over 3 million dollars for Edgewood over the past 7 years.

Her other fundraising experience includes: Capital Campaign for Katherine Delmar Burke School, Bay Area Discovery Museum, Children’s Garden of California, Little School and Junior League of San Francisco.

REMEDY EDITORIAL
Post-Production courtesy of the Remedy Editorial "Adopt-a-Doc" Program

www.remedyeditorial.com

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